Precision pest control using purpose-built uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology and a novel bait pod system.
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Other Title
Authors
Morley, Craig G,
Solaris, Philip
Quinn, Greg O,
Ross, Kathryn E,
Peterson, Bruce J,
Solaris, Philip
Quinn, Greg O,
Ross, Kathryn E,
Peterson, Bruce J,
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Grantor
Date
2024-04-06
Supervisors
Type
Journal Article
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
UAS precision bait system
Invasive pests
New Zealand pest control
Drone pest control
Bait pods
Pest eradication
Invasive pests
New Zealand pest control
Drone pest control
Bait pods
Pest eradication
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Morley, C.G., Solaris, P., Quinn, G.O., Ross, K.E., & Peterson, B.J. (2024). Precision pest control using purpose-built uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology and a novel bait pod system. Drone systems and applications, 12, 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/dsa-2023-0104
Abstract
Controlling invasive species is imperative due to their significant roles in spreading diseases, preying on threatened species, and diminishing biodiversity. Crewed aircraft are proficient at dispersing toxic bait across vast expanses to combat small pest mammals such as possums and rats. However, their utility diminishes significantly in small, remote areas typified by rugged terrain due to impracticality and prohibitive costs. Similarly, while ground control operations are effective in compact, easily reachable locations, they encounter formidable obstacles like costly labour expenses, safety hazards, and the peril of worker injuries while navigating treacherous landscapes. An innovative approach to address these limitations is to use uncrewed aerial systems that are unhampered by the terrain to deploy bait at precise locations. Our team engineered a purpose-built system designed specifically for deploying bait using innovative bait pods. Two field trials were conducted in New Zealand to validate our systems’ efficacy, assessing deployment precision and accuracy against predefined ground targets. While the initial trial yielded mixed results, significant improvements were observed in the subsequent trial, featuring enhancements to the bait pod design. The median deployment accuracy achieved was 1.91 m from the target (n = 63), with no statistically significant difference in deployment accuracy between open and forested areas (p = 0.76). This advanced system permits the precise placement of bait pods to any location, facilitating effective pest control within complex landscapes, challenging terrain, and dense vegetation. With its smart functionality and adaptability, this system can be utilised across various aircraft and autopilot systems to ensure maximum accuracy and efficiency in delivering bait pods for pest control operations. Therefore, this innovative tool possesses tremendous potential for managing small mammalian invasive species, particularly in specialised environments such as reserves, gullies, and islands, complementing existing pest control strategies to expedite the restoration of ecosystems and safeguard biodiversity.
Publisher
Canadian Science Publishing
Permanent link
Link to ePress publication
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1139/dsa-2023-0104
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Authors
Copyright notice
© 2024 The Author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.